The Sheriff's Office keeps this lookup for its own jail. It takes a minute or two:

1. Open the Inmate Locator in any web browser.
2. In the search tools, type the surname. Narrow a long list by adding the given name too.
3. Choose the person from the results list. Make sure the details fit, because two people can have the same name.
4. Open the court date and court branch areas to learn when and where the next hearing is set.
5. Ask staff for the booking number. Deposits, mail and calls go faster with it.

Spot an error, or can't find a match? Jail staff at 262-284-8446 can look the record up for you.

A blank search is not a sure sign of release. These are the usual causes:

• Still being processed. Deputies finish fingerprints and paperwork before the entry goes live.
• Already released. Posting cash bail or signing a bond ends the stay.
• The arrest happened somewhere else. Each county books its own arrests, so the person may sit in a jail outside this county.
• The spelling differs. Spelling counts. Enter the surname another way, or search by a middle name.
• Age 16 or under. Children that age are handled by county Human Services instead.

The booking desk can check right away at 262-284-8440. The Sheriff's lobby at 1201 S. Spring St., Port Washington, WI 53074, is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The county runs one adult jail. It sits in the Sheriff's Office building at 1201 S. Spring St., Port Washington, WI 53074. The main jail line is 262-284-8446, and the fax is 262-284-8496. Here is who stays there:

• People waiting for trial who are still held because bail is unpaid or a judge has kept them in.
• People serving a jail sentence after a judge's order.
• Huber inmates. The sentencing judge may grant Huber, so the person can leave in the daytime for a paying job or for child care, then return. They check in and out through the jail lobby.
• Women and men. Both are housed in this jail.

Someone serving Huber time here for another county's case may be sent back to that county. If the arrest took place in Milwaukee County, look at the Milwaukee County Jail, 949 N. 9th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233, 414-226-7070. For anywhere else, the Sheriff's Office at 262-284-7172 can help track down which jail has them.

Booking photos belong to the Sheriff's records. You may request one under Wisconsin's public records law. The law sits at Wis. Stat. 19.31 to 19.39. Under it, records start out open. This is how it goes:

• Call the Sheriff's Office at 262-284-7172, or write to 1201 S. Spring St., Port Washington, WI 53074. Say which photo you want and the booking date if you know it.
• Nobody may demand your name or your reason. The records keeper weighs every request separately.
• Youth police files stay closed.
• News outlets can request mugshots from the Sheriff's Office in the same way.

The state Justice Department explains the law in its public records guide. Photos taken by immigration officers are requested on the ICE records page. Federal agencies generally withhold their own booking pictures. The U.S. Marshals Service can be the exception, for instance by sharing a fugitive's photo.

Wisconsin offers a free VINE service for county jails. The state corrections agency's victim services office runs it with local partners, but it is open to everyone. VINE shows which county jail, if any, has the person right now. It can also alert you once they are let out or moved.

• Search online at Wisconsin VINE.
• Or dial 888-944-8463 (1-888-WI-4-VINE). The call costs nothing and stays anonymous.
• Spanish and Hmong speakers can use it, as well as English.

You must enroll yourself, since it isn't automatic. VINE can run behind, so check with the jail at 262-284-8446 before you drive over for a pickup.

Under state law, a person waiting for trial is eligible for release on reasonable terms. Those terms get set at the first court appearance, often by video link from a room at the jail. Sometimes no money is needed. With a signature bond, the defendant signs and pays only by missing court. Cash is required only if the judge finds it necessary to make sure they return. Violent crime charges let the judge weigh the full picture, such as risk to the public and past convictions (Wis. Stat. 969.01).

• No bondsmen. Paid bail agents are illegal here (Wis. Stat. 969.12). Family members put up the full sum themselves.
• How to pay here. Bring a cashier's check or money order to the Sheriff's Office, 1201 S. Spring St., Port Washington, WI 53074, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Call 262-284-7172 first.
• Who to pay. Bail from the county's circuit court goes to "Ozaukee County Clerk of Courts." Bail for another county's or a city court's case is made out to the Sheriff's Office.
• Save the receipt. Should the case end in a conviction, the court may take restitution, fines and costs out of the cash deposit, no matter who posted it.
• Still locked up? When the terms can't be met within 72 hours of that first appearance, the judge has to review them (969.08).

Each step of posting bail is spelled out in our bail guide. For the statewide rules in brief, open our Wisconsin bail law overview.

At the first court hearing, the judge reads each charge aloud, and the person receives the written complaint. That paper lists each crime and the law number. Ask the person, or their lawyer, to share it.

You can also search Wisconsin Circuit Court Access by name for free. Once a case is filed, it lists the charges, the case status and coming hearings. The District Attorney's Office decides which charges are filed. It is in the Justice Center, 1201 S. Spring St., Room 215, Port Washington, WI 53074, 262-238-8387.

Misdemeanor penalties depend on the class set in Wis. Stat. 939.51. The top one, Class A, has a maximum of 9 months and $10,000. Lower down, Class B allows 90 days and $1,000, while Class C allows 30 days and $500. Felonies are more serious.

The Wisconsin State Public Defender assigns free counsel when an adult facing criminal charges qualifies on income. If money is tight, the person should tell the judge at that first appearance. The judge then points them to this office.

• Local office: 1032 S Spring St, Port Washington, WI 53074, 262-273-4722.
• The form takes about 15 minutes with office staff. Bring proof of income if you have it.
• Learn more on the how to apply page.
• A no from the Public Defender isn't the end: the person can request that the judge appoint counsel at the county's cost.

Families who would rather pay can retain a private attorney. Under state jail rules, a lawyer may meet a client at any reasonable time.

Visits are booked online through ICSolutions, the company the jail uses. Signing up on its website is free. If you have no computer, use the one in the jail lobby.

• Two kinds. Lobby visits through glass at the jail, or video visits from home.
• Timing. Book at least 16 hours ahead and no more than two weeks out.
• Length and limits. Each visit runs 30 minutes. A person can have two lobby visits and two home video visits each week.
• Cost. Home video visits cost $7.50 and work only on Windows or Android devices.
• Help. For video trouble, call IC Solutions Video Support at 888-646-9437, not the jail.
• Kids. Minors need a parent or guardian along.

Staff record all visits, and talk about the charges can hurt the defense. For packing and dress tips, open our visitor's guide.

Money on the account buys snacks, hygiene items, calls and more. The jail handbook lists three ways to send it:

• Lobby kiosk. A Stellar Teller machine in the jail lobby accepts bills or a credit card, for a fee.
• Online. Use a credit card on the jailatm.com website. You can send up to $300 per week, Sunday to Saturday, and a fee is added.
• By mail. Send a check or money order to the Business Office, 1201 S. Spring St, PO Box 245, Port Washington, WI 53074-0245. The office is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The front window takes only bail, Huber fees and warrant payments, not deposits. Each week the person can order up to $85 of store items, not counting clothes, hygiene and medical items. Our deposit guide and store-order guide go deeper. Rules can change, so call 262-284-8446 to confirm.

Right after booking, the person gets one free call that lasts 60 to 90 seconds. It must go to a number they have not called yet. After they move into a cell block, they can make more calls. Those are paid for through the phone system in their unit. Tablets are also in use.

Phone the jail at 262-284-8446 to open a calling account. Ask which company runs the phones, what calls cost, and if tablets can get messages from family. Anything said about the case should wait for the lawyer. Rates and accounts are covered in our phone guide, and messaging gets its own email guide.

Ordinary personal mail is sent to a P.O. box in Longview, Texas. Start the address with the person's whole name and booking number:

• Personal mail: Ozaukee County Jail, PO Box 591, Longview, TX 75606
• Legal mail, books and newspapers: Ozaukee County Jail, 1201 S Spring St, PO Box 245, Port Washington, WI 53074-0245

Letters sent to the Sheriff's general address are sent back. Books and magazines must be softcover, or they must come straight from the publisher. Books sent by family or friends are turned away. Staff are free to read ordinary letters, while attorney mail is inspected only lightly. A person may receive as many letters as people care to send. Our mailing guide lists common rules, and the jail at 262-284-8446 can settle any doubt about an item.

The jail secures pocket items, clothes and phones from booking until release. Timing matters here. Once someone has been held for 72 hours, the jail stops handing out property. That includes looking up phone numbers in a cell phone. A supervisor can approve one item in writing, but that is rare.

If you need keys, a wallet or a phone, call the jail at 262-284-8446 as soon as you can. Ask whether the person must sign a form and which kind of ID you should carry. Ask where and when items can be picked up.

The jail must give medical, mental health and emergency dental care, and it can't refuse care because someone has no money. In an emergency, the person tells a deputy right away. For other needs, they fill out a Medical Request form. An answer can take up to 72 hours.

• A nurse visit costs $5.00. A doctor, dentist or psychiatrist visit after a nurse referral costs $10.00.
• Mental health services are free.
• Medicine is billed at the vendor's price each month.

Family members can call 262-284-8446 to share the names and doses of medicines. The person can file a grievance form if care falls short. The state inspects every jail yearly through its Office of Detention Facilities, 3099 East Washington Ave., Madison, WI 53704, 608-240-5000.

The Sheriff's Office answers warrant questions at 262-284-7172.

A free name search on Wisconsin Circuit Court Access can show a missed hearing, which often leads to a warrant. To clear a warrant, many people hire a defense lawyer and let that lawyer plan when they walk in to the jail: 1201 S. Spring St., Port Washington, WI 53074. Asking the court for a fresh date is another route. The Clerk of Circuit Court is in the Justice Center, 1201 S. Spring Street, Port Washington, WI 53074. Dial the county's main line at 262-284-9411 and ask for that office.

The Inmate Locator has a court date area and a court branch area for each person held. Criminal cases are heard in the circuit court in the Justice Center, 1201 S. Spring Street, Port Washington, WI 53074. For a quick answer, ask the Clerk of Circuit Court through the county line, 262-284-9411.

• Search Wisconsin Circuit Court Access by name to see every hearing on the schedule.
• Felonies add a preliminary exam. If the person is held with bail over $500, it must come within 10 days. If they are free, the limit is 20 days (Wis. Stat. 970.03).
• City tickets and many first OWI tickets go to a municipal court, not the circuit court.

To learn what each hearing means, read our court process guide.

Federal charges filed anywhere in the county are heard by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Division, 517 E. Wisconsin Ave., Room 362, Milwaukee, WI 53202, 414-297-3372.

1. A judge soon holds a detention hearing on whether the defendant stays jailed or goes home before trial (18 U.S.C. 3142).
2. Before trial, federal prisoners are in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. The Sheriff's Office has an agreement with the U.S. Marshals Service to house federal detainees, so the person may remain in Port Washington. Reach the Marshals at 517 E. Wisconsin Ave., Room 711, Milwaukee, WI 53202, 414-297-3707.
3. For a free federal lawyer, call Federal Defender Services of Wisconsin, 411 East Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 2310, Milwaukee, WI 53202, 414-221-9900.
4. If the federal judge orders prison time, the person's location appears on the BOP inmate locator. Search it by name or by the register number the BOP assigns. Wisconsin has just one federal prison, FCI Oxford.

Immigration holds follow a set order:

1. Immigration officers send the Port Washington jail a detainer. The form is called I-247A.
2. Under that detainer, ICE is asking Ozaukee deputies to hold the person up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released (8 CFR 287.7(d)).
3. Officers from ICE then collect the person. The field office for Wisconsin is in Chicago: 101 W. Ida B. Wells Dr., Suite 4000, Chicago, IL 60605, 872-351-3990.
4. Detainees may be held at the Dodge County Jail, 216 W. Center Street, Juneau, WI 53039, 920-386-3734, or sent out of state.
5. Look the person up on the ICE Online Detainee Locator. An A-number gives the best match. No A-number? Use the name and the birth country instead.

ICE's Milwaukee check-in office is at 310 E. Knapp St., Milwaukee, WI 53202, 414-792-7198. The Sheriff's Office at 262-284-7172 can explain how its jail deals with these holds.

A prison sentence for a felony sends the person from Port Washington into the custody of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. Intake and assessment come first and usually last 8 to 12 weeks. Staff then place the person in a prison that matches their risk and program needs. Men going through intake must wait 3 days before family may visit.

• The state's offender locator searches by name or DOC number.
• Parole doesn't apply to felonies from Dec. 31, 1999, on. A term of extended supervision outside prison follows the prison time.
• Visiting and mail details for Wisconsin's prisons are on our state prisons page.

Seventeen-year-olds are adults under Wisconsin criminal law, so they face adult court and this jail. Younger children, 16 and under, start with juvenile intake run by the Department of Human Services: 121 W. Main Street, Port Washington, WI 53074, 262-284-8200. Intake workers are on call around the clock.

• A youth can't be placed in secure detention without an intake interview in person, except in a few cases.
• A held youth sees a judge fast. That hearing has to happen within 24 hours, starting from midnight at the end of the day of the hold decision. The clock pauses on weekends and legal holidays.
• Youth may be held at a detention center in another county. Human Services can tell you where.

For the most serious youth cases, the state uses Lincoln Hills School for boys and Copper Lake School for girls.

These agencies make arrests here, in a county of 94,074 people (state Department of Administration estimate, Jan. 1, 2025). The agency that arrested the person holds the report. Here is each one:

• Sheriff's Office, 1201 S. Spring St., Port Washington, WI 53074, 262-284-7172. Call here for Belgium and the towns.
• Cedarburg Police, W75 N444 Wauwatosa Road, Cedarburg, WI 53012, 262-375-7620
• Fredonia Police, 416 Fredonia Ave., Fredonia, WI 53021, 262-692-9125
• Grafton Police, 1981 Washington St., Grafton, WI 53024, 262-375-5320
• Mequon Police, 11300 N. Buntrock Ave., Mequon, WI 53092, 262-242-3500
• Port Washington Police, 365 N. Wisconsin St., Port Washington, WI 53074, 262-284-2611
• Saukville Police, 649 E. Green Bay Ave., Saukville, WI 53080, non-emergency 262-284-0444
• Thiensville Police, 250 Elm St., Thiensville, WI 53092, 262-242-2100
• Wisconsin State Patrol, Waukesha Post, 21115 E. Moreland Blvd., Waukesha, WI 53186, 262-785-4700. Troopers patrol the highways here.